The Power of a Pirate's Love
by klcthenerd
Summary: Elizabeth has been claimed dead for a year. Will has moved on and is due to be married to the daughter of the Pirate Leader of Puerto Rico. On the day of the wedding, however, what happens when the past comes for a visit? WxOC, WxE. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

A/N- So here's chapter 1 of my new fic, The Power of a Pirates Love! The idea came to me in a very strange dream when pirates were trying to kill me as I was trying to get into my dance recital. Go figure I'd make something out of that. I will continue writing Hold On, though I don't know when it will be updated, hopefully some time this week, but please don't give up on it! So...here's chapter one! Please tell me what you think of it!

Disclaimer: I do not own POTC, Jack, Elizabeth, Will, Gibbs, or any of the others. Nor do I own Puerto Rico, haha. I do, however, own Juan and Alese Rubizio.

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**.::.Chapter 1.::.**

Will Turner paced in the street outside of the small Tortuga inn. He was waiting for his fiancé to get off the ship and meet him. He smiled at the thought of her image in his mind. They were to be wed tomorrow, right here in the pirate port of Tortuga.

Will smiled as he saw her rushing towards him. Everything about her was breath-taking. Her jet black hair flowed behind her as few strands whipped before her face. Even though it was nearly midnight, he knew that her bright blue eyes were sparkling with happiness. Just as his did whenever she was with him. He had finally found happiness after Elizabeth Swann, his first love.

They, along with Captain Jack Sparrow, Mr. Gibbs, and a crew of other ne'er do-well pirates, had been sailing the Caribbean, enjoying the freedom and sights.

They had met the eccentric captain on their first adventure, which involved undead pirates, cursed Aztec treasure, and a ship called the _Black Pearl_. Will, working as a blacksmith's apprentice had joined the pirate when Elizabeth was kidnapped by Captain Barbossa, Sparrow's First Mate that led a mutiny against him.

Though the journey had been unbelievable and not to mention dangerous, everything had turned out well in the end. Barbossa had been killed, Jack had his _Pearl_ back, and Elizabeth had been rescued, both her and Will free to return home to Port Royal, Jamaica.

But neither wanted to return home after the taste of adventure. Elizabeth, the governor's daughter, had dreamed of pirates since she was young. She was fascinated with everything to do with them. She envied their ability to live by their own consent, not having to worry about what's proper.

Will, an aspiring blacksmith, had nothing to return to but a drunken master. He had no family. His father had left William and his mother to sail the seas as a pirate. His mother, who died when he was twelve, had sent him from England to Jamaica, wanting more for her son than she or her husband had had.

So both childhood friends had elected to stay with the pirates, agreeing to some adventure and plundering.

One thing had led to another, and Will and Elizabeth had begun to get involved with one another, eventually falling in love. However, Will had loved Elizabeth ever since he first saw her.

On his journey from England, his ship had been destroyed by Barbossa and crew, leaving him floating on a piece of driftwood, only to be found by Elizabeth and her father. After that, the rest was history.

After nearly a year of courtship, Elizabeth had agreed to marry him.

However, things took a turn for the worse.

Running low on supplies, Elizabeth agreed to travel in a longboat to a nearby island to re-supply, seeing as the ship was wanted by the East India Trading Company, and they didn't want to risk being seen. So she left, never to return again.

After the day was over, suspicions began to rise as the crew got nervous. She should have returned hours before nightfall, and there it was, nearly midnight. As they sailed around the perimeter of the island, their worst fear, as well as Will's worst nightmare, had been confirmed.

There was a patch of sharp boulders sticking out of the water, pieces of wooden boat stuck in between them. Elizabeth was no where to be seen.

Will and Gibbs had gone to shore, asking if anyone had seen a woman fitting Elizabeth's description, but they had had no luck. They returned to ship, where they shared the news and had a moment of silence for the loss of the pirate.

Everyone on board felt the strangeness in the absence of the woman, but none as much as Will. Will, who had loved her with all his heart and soul, had been devastated, mourning for a good month or two. He ate little, pushing his food around; he often took late night walks on the deck, his eyes gaining bags under them.

Jack had called him over one day, talked some sense into him. He simply said that the boy needed to move on, not forget about Elizabeth, but realize that she wouldn't have wanted him to be miserable on her account. Will realized that the mad pirate was right. And almost as if by fate, the next day they pulled into Puerto Rico, he met Alese.

They had made port to re-supply and lay low from the eyes of the East India Company. Alese had been wading in the water as the _Pearl_ docked, and rushed over to see what pirate would show up on the island. Her father happened to be the Pirate Leader of the island of Puerto Rico, so she was no stranger to pirates. Actually, some of the crew even greeted her has they un-boarded the ship.

Will had climbed down the ladder on the side of the boat, Jack's words echoing in his head. As he spun around, he laid eyes on the woman, who smiled kindly at him. She had introduced herself as Alese Rubizio, daughter of pirate Juan Rubizio. Her English was flawless with the exception of a slight Spanish accent. It had been then when Jack's voice had reminded him that Elizabeth would have wanted him to move on.

So he did. And now, in one day, he would finally be with someone who loved him, joined in matrimony until parted by death.

As Alese drew nearer, Will felt a tinge of regret. They had been together for nearly a year, and he had yet to mention his relationship with Elizabeth. He often wondered why this was. Was it because he still loved her and it caused him to much pain to mention her, or was it perhaps because he wasn't sure how Alese would react when he told her that he had been engaged to another woman.

Will hated to keep it from her, but he saw no reason in bringing up the past. It was not as if it would interfere with the future.

Will offered the arm to the lady as she approached him, breathing heavily through her smile. "Ready, love?" he asked.

"Si. Aye," Alese Rubizio responded, following her soon-to-be husband into the inn.

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The pirate could see the faint outline of Tortuga, the destination of her journey. She only hoped she'd arrive in time. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys! I'm about done with Chapter 3. Thanks for all the positive reviews, I really love them. Keep them coming if you love me! Now allow me to disconnect myself from civilization to bring you what you want...

**.::.Chapter 2.::.**

The first rays of sunlight peaked through the yellow curtains in Will and Alese's room. The blacksmith-turned-pirate groaned, bidding the sun to go away. He wasn't ready to wake up yet.

The sun wasn't on his side today. It pestered him, shining brighter and brighter until he got out of his bed. Pulling on some day clothes, he gently shut the door, not wanting to wake his sleeping bride-to-be, who was still tucked in in her separate bed across the room.

Will looked around the street, his insides dancing with glee at the thought of being married in a few hours.

The wedding wasn't ceremonial. There were no bridesmaids, no groomsmen. Anyone in Tortuga was welcome to come. It was perfect.

The two were to be wed by a pirate captain instead of a Priest. It was only natural to have a captain wed two lovers in Tortuga, after all. However, Jack Sparrow was not the chosen pirate. He had actually declined the offer, before it had been extended to him. He, instead, had offered to sit outside and shoo the rif-raf.

Will laughed at his friend's madness as he set off for the _Black Pearl_. As he stepped onto the deck, he realized that it would be his last time to do so as an unmarried man. Next time he boarded the ship, he'd have a wife.

He looked around for some sign of the other crew members, but after coming up with nothing, he went below deck.

"Aye! Mister Turner! Today be ye and Alese's special day," Pintel cheered as the others passed Will a bottle of rum.

"What's all this?" Will laughed, grasping the bottle in his hand, but not drinking.

"Aye, this be yer last celebration before ye become a whipped man, Mr. Turner," Gibbs explained, toasting the young man before taking a swig of rum.

"Aye!" echoed the others, copying Gibbs' gestures.

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The distressing pirate looked at the sky. It had to be about noon, she reasoned. The sun was high in the sky, the wedding would be taking place in about five hours. She only hoped she'd make it in time.

Her heart had been aching for him ever since she became stranded on that island a year ago.

She had been pining for her love for a year. A long, lonely year, and he had moved on. Had he forgotten about her? Or worse, did he, as well as everyone else, presume she had died when they saw the crashed longboat?

That certainly would explain why no one had gone looking for her, she thought in a foul mood. The woman turned her blonde head to look at the island she was approaching. God had she had enough of islands.

It had all seemed so fool-proof when she had left to get supplies. She never even thought the approaching storm would cause bigger waves. She had been blinded. Blinded by her love for Will. Nothing had mattered except for him.

Elizabeth Swann sighed as she thought of her long eight months on that island, and how it had all started with a crashed longboat.

The waves had been steadily growing out of control as she rowed away from the ship. Waves were spilling over the sides of the small dinghy, causing the woman's calm demeanor to one of sheer panic. It had been then that she had seen the looming rocks ahead of her. The rocks that had served as a giant warning sign that told her to abandon ship. And so she did.

Standing up, Elizabeth had dived into the churning waters below her, swimming wherever the current took her, which ended up to be an island. And to her dismay, it wasn't island she intended to get supplies from.

Thus began the eight longest months of Elizabeth's life. She had fished and picked berries for meals, relied on a freshwater spring for water, and worst of all, had no one to talk to.

Once realizing that no one would be trying to find her, she began to build a boat from the trees' wood. It had taken her two months to successfully complete her task, but she had done it. Knowing that the boat was in no condition to sail all the way to Tortuga, where she had been planning to go in hopes of finding the _Pearl_, she had sailed to the closest port.

There, she had stolen a dinghy, a compass, a small sack of gunpowder, and some provisions. Elizabeth then left in the early morning, sailing out for her destination with even more determination than before.

It had been in that city she had heard of Will's betrothal to another woman. It had been in that city that she vowed to herself she'd put a stop to the wedding if she could.

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A man with a red bandana covering his head walked idly through the streets of Tortuga. His walk, much more like a strut, conveyed the idea that he wasn't particularly sober at the moment. His beaded dredlocks swayed to and fro as he looked through the crowd of pirates, bums, and wenches.

Captain Jack Sparrow was searching for something. Something very important to him. Something he loved almost as much as his _Pearl_. And finally, he had found a place where he could find it.

"Rum," he requested as he sat at the bar in the pub.

"Aye," the bartender responded, turning his back to the customer and grabbing a mug and a bottle filled to the brim with rum. He turned back around, setting the mug on the dirty bar, pouring a quarter of the bottle into the mug.

Jack, however, reached for the bottle. "Thanks, mate," he said happily, grabbing the neck of the bottle and taking a long swig from it. He brought the translucent brown bottle from his lips and smacked them with pleasure. "Rum is good," he stated, more to himself more than anyone else.

The bartender simply rolled his eyes and went to the next patron.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Because I love the response I'm getting, and because I'm horribly evil...I'm updating. See, you encourage me to write more! Sadly, though, I have dance all week, so it's a bit hard to find time. You see, once you get to the end of the chapter...you will probably want me to update soon. The catch: I only have about 3 paragraphs of the next chapter.

GOOD NEWS: I have gotten one of my magnificent friends to help me co-write Hold On! That way I can focus on TPoaPL mainly, but still write Hold On without having to stress!

So you know the drill. I own nothing. All Disney. Except Alese and Juan. Those characters...yeah, mine. Please review!

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The hearty party the men threw Will ended with a bang. Or rather, when they had finished the supply of rum aboard the ship.

The time had finally come. Fifteen minutes and Will would be the luckiest man alive. He and the crew un-boarded the ship, many of them wobbling unsteadily due to the amount of rum they had consumed. The pirates sang merrily, their speech slurred the higher they raised their voice.

They rounded a street corner, arriving at the hall where Will and Alese were to be wed. Will smartly marched his way inside, passing Jack, who nodded his head courteously.

Many townspeople began filing in the room, some sitting, some standing, some just loitering to see what was going on. The crew members of the _Black Pearl_ had seated themselves amongst the townspeople, having a jolly good time, still a bit intoxicated from the rum.

The muttering of side conversations grew louder and louder until Jack stuck his head in through the double doors. "Oi! Shut it you filthy maggots, the bride's here!"

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Elizabeth Swann ran through the familiar streets of Tortuga as the sun beat down upon her, working against everything she was working for. It was times like these she cursed the fact that her loose, dirtied white shirt had long sleeves.

She swiftly turned the corner. She knew exactly where the wedding would be held. There was perhaps only one building in Tortuga fit for a ceremony such as this.

In her mind, Elizabeth was playing out the scene before her. What exactly did she expect to happen? That Will would forget all about this woman and rush back to her? As much as she would have liked to believe it, she couldn't. She knew Will, he wouldn't hurt anyone. But she had to at least make herself known. What if he still loved her?

She had to take a chance. That's what life was about, wasn't it? Taking chances?

She had finally reached the entrance. Her heart was pounding fiercely in her chest as she reached for the handle. This was it, there was no turning back. She had to go through with this.

As she was about to pull the door open, she recoiled her hand quickly. Was this the right thing to do? Was she willing to deny Will happiness due to her own selfishness?

_But Will was happy with _you, a small voice reminded herself.

Another part rebutted with the fact that he was also happy with this new girl, or, rather, not-so-new girl.

Before she could come up with anything else to stop her, she jerked open the door, throwing her thoughts out. She was prepared for the entrance room to the building, but she was not prepared to face the man who sat in the chair guarding the door.

The look on his face was amusing, to say the least. It would have been more amusing had the situation not have been so serious.

Jack's kohl-lined eyes went wide in shock and disbelief. His jaw dropped at the woman before him, as if he were unsure whether he wanted to scream or make casual conversation. He held up his right index finger, as if about to conduct an orchestra. After about ten seconds of just staring at Elizabeth, he finally found the words he wished to say.

"You're dead."

Elizabeth held out her arms. "Apparently not," she replied smugly before striding towards the door where Jack was sitting guard.

"And where do you think _you're _going, ghost of Elizabeth Swann?" asked Jack as he frowned at her.

"_I'm_ going to go in there and put a stop to this wedding," replied the woman, hands on her hips as she looked at her old captain. She began walking again, outstretching her arm to grab the handle...

Jack quickly stood from his seat and unsheathed his cutlass in one swift move. He held it up to Elizabeth's throat. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, ghosty dearest," he drawled. "You see, with young William wed to a Pirate Leader's daughter, that gives me quite an alliance, savvy? Times are a changin', and pirates like me need alliances."

"So make them the old fashion way," Elizabeth spat as she narrowed her eyes, disgusted with what he was saying. He was just using Will as...as a _tool_!

"But why? When this way is so much easier?" the pirate spoke, jerking his head towards the closed doors. "Now, you've been a ghost for a year, why don't you go and be one just a little while longer, luv."

Elizabeth looked him straight in the eyes, hating the man before her. "Because, Jack, if I were a ghost...I couldn't do _this_!"

And with a fluid movement to rival Jack's, she had her sword in her right hand. She quickly knocked her opponent's weapon from its current position while he tried to register what was happening.

"Being on an island all by yourself does have an advantage, I daresay," the female stated, her sword pointing at Jack as she walked around a bit. As Jack opened his mouth to happily agree, she silenced him with a threatening look. "Being on an island for more than three days, that is," she added nastily.

His ego stung by her words, Jack was turning vicious to the young woman. "Crossing blades with a pirate? Is that _really_ the smartest choice, Lizzie?"

"My name just happens to be Elizabeth. Miss Swann to you," she growled. "And I honestly can't say. But I have a feeling I'm about to find out." Elizabeth swiftly dodged Jack's sword as he made a lunge at her.

Her blade clashed with Jacks several times, both of the pirates making attacks as the other blocked them. They had to be fighting for at least seven minutes when they backed off, breathing heavily.

They glared at each other as they caught their breath, both ready to claim victory for themselves. However, Elizabeth was the one to break the silence.

She suddenly jumped at Jack, her blade swishing downward to where it would surely make contact with an arm. But Jack was quicker than she expected. It was almost as if he knew she would attack him.

Elizabeth could hear a commotion from the other side as she worked to defend herself from the man's blows. It sounded like people were heading in their direction. Her stomach seemed to drop out of her abdomen as a thought occurred to her. Was she too late?

She should have known better than to get sidetracked on her thoughts while she was in the middle of a scuffle. Jack's blade dug into her left arm, leaving a bleeding hole where it had cut the limb.

The governor's daughter mustered up all her strength and anger into her performance. She had missed the wedding. She had been too late to stop them. It was all over, Will was officially married to another. It was Jack's fault. He had to use him for his own selfish reasons.

Elizabeth could feel hot tears threatening to escape her brown eyes. All she wanted was another chance. Another chance at the life she had had. Another chance with the crew. Another chance at happiness with Will.

But it had slipped away. She had tried to catch it, but it merely slipped through her fingers like smoke.

Maybe if she had been earlier, things would have been different. Maybe if she hadn't wasted time. Maybe if Jack hadn't stood in the way.

It was Jack's fault.

As all her thoughts led to the realization, Elizabeth gained ferocity in her fighting abilities. She would lunge here, deflect there, she was moving at rapid speed. She could see the look on Jack's face. One of utter bewilderment. It was with one slick move that she freed the sword from his hand, causing it to land twenty feet away.

She held the tip of the weapon to his throat, not saying a word, just staring at him with a look in her eyes that really frightened him.

Both of them, however, looked towards the opening doors as Will stepped out, his hand reaching for his own weapon.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: WOW! Thanks so much for all the positive reviews! Yes, calling me evil is positive in my mind. Haha. So I guess here's the next chapter, PLEASE REVIEW! OH! And tell me what Story you want to be updated, this or Hold On. And it seems I will be working alone on both, my friend has never tried her hand at _Pirates_ fanfiction, but it's fine, you just might have to wait a bit longer.

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**.::.Chapter 4.::.**

Will had been about to take Alese as his wife, when he, as well as the others, heard the clashing of blades outside. Giving her a very apologetic look, he had rushed down the aisle to the doors, his hand on his weapon as he swung them open.

However, right before he was about to unsheathe it, he froze. There, holding her sword's tip to Jack's throat, was a woman who he thought was dead. A woman he had loved. A woman he still loved.

He was cautious with his next moves. Keeping his hand on his sword, Will slowly walked about the scene in front of him. As he walked around the blonde and reached Jack, he turned back around to face the woman.

As Jack had done, he opened his mouth to say something, anything. But his mind couldn't form the words. In order to say something, one must understand the situation that was unfolding, which he did not. Elizabeth died one year ago. Ergo, this could not be her.

"Little help here, mate," Jack voiced, his eyes darting to Will.

Ignoring him, Will again tried to form a coherent sentence. Finally, he was able to find one. Cautiously, he narrowed his eyes confusedly. "Who are you?"

Elizabeth, her grip on her sword never faltering, stared into his dark brown eyes. "I think we both know perfectly well who I am."

As Jack tried to slip away from the tip, Elizabeth whipped her head towards him, glaring disgustedly as she retracted her weapon.

"Elizabeth? How...What...But you...What are you doing here?" Will couldn't think of where to start. How had she survived the crash of the boat? No one had seen her on the island. Had he just had too much to drink? He saw a look of disappointment and hurt cross her face for a split second before her expression changed to one of indifference. "It's not like I'm not glad to see you," he quickly added, "it's just..." he trailed off, not knowing how to tell her.

As if on cue, Alese came out through the doors and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his left one. "What's going on, _mi Amor_?" she asked curiously, looking at Elizabeth's sword as well as Jack's on the ground.

Will looked down at the dark-haired beauty. "Nothing, just a meeting with an old friend." He raised his eyes to once again look at Elizabeth. She was skinnier than she had been a year ago. No doubt because she'd had to rely on physical labor to get food. Her naturally golden-brown hair had been kissed noticeably by the sun; it had turned quite blonde, however, it did have her old color present as well. Guiltily, he realized he was trying to get a look at her eyes again, but her head was tilted to the floor.

That's when it hit him.

"You knew." It was a statement, not a question. As Elizabeth looked up, Will knew he hadn't been mistaken. There was that distinct gleam of sadness and guilt in her eyes, the guilt being that she had been caught, no doubt.

She shrugged innocently. "I might have."

Alese gazed at the stranger with caution. Whoever this woman was, she knew Will, who, funnily enough, had never mentioned her. She gazed up at the man who should have been her husband now. "Will," she said in a sweet voice, her Spanish accent prominent, "can we get back to the wedding? _Por favor_?"

Will looked between the women. He could sense the stiffness in Alese's voice as she spoke. He turned to her, taking her small hands in his larger, rougher ones. He paused before he opened his mouth to speak.

"You want to postpone the wedding, _si_?" the Puerto Rican sighed, smiling sadly at Will.

Will nodded at her. "You'll understand in time," he assured her. He then looked up at Elizabeth, who he momentarily forgot was there.

"Elizabeth, this is my fiancé, Alese. Alese, this is my...old friend Elizabeth."

Alese scrutinized the girl. "Hello, Elizabeth, nice to meet you," she said as she held out her hand, which the blonde shook.

"Nice to meet you too," she said with as much friendliness as she could muster. On the contrary, Elizabeth was not at all pleased to be shaking the hand of Will's fiancé. He had been _her_ Will.

Will turned to face Jack, who was watching the scene with great interest. "So, _Captain,_ when do we set sail?"

The perpetually drunken man pondered this question. He was content to stay another day, until he saw Scarlett and her friend Giselle walking towards the doors leading to him. He quickly spun around. "Now! We make sail now! Weigh anchor, all hands!"

As the crew scrambled out of the building to get to the ship, Elizabeth smiled innocently at Jack. "Would those orders happen to apply to a long-lost crewmember as well?"

Jack raised an eyebrow as he surveyed the thin woman before him. "Lass, you just tried to kill me. Why the bloody hell should I let you sail with me?"

Elizabeth was in a situation. Jack had a very good point, and she knew it. And she knew that he knew that she knew it. Knowing Jack, there was only one way to convince him. Flattery.

"Because your such a kind and honorable man who surely understands that I was in an irrational state at the time of said offence," she spoke as she slowly walked towards him.

Jack, slightly taller than Elizabeth, looked down at her with a confused expression. "Huh?"

Miss Swann tried hard not to let annoyance show on her face as well as in her voice. "I wasn't really going to _kill_ you. Just. uh-"

"Threaten me until you got past and into the wedding to therefore stop Young William from marrying his new bonnie-lass therefore severing a possible alliance of mine to Puerto Rico?"

Elizabeth laughed nervously. "Something like that."

"Welcome aboard, Miss Swann."


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry it took so long! You know, school, dance, internet, books. Well, after this week, I won't have school OR dance, so that hopefully promises quicker updates! Thank you all for sticking with me. Please read/review!

**.::.Chapter 5.::.**

"All hands on deck you pathetic excuses for pirates!"

"This is probably why his previous crew mutinied on him in the first place," Elizabeth grumbled to herself as she tumbled out of her hammock and hit the wooden floor.

As the tired pirates walked up on deck, they were greeted with clear, starry skies and a cold burst of air. Elizabeth smiled in spite of the actions of seconds earlier as she thought of being back on board the _Black Pearl_. This is where she truly belonged. Not on some God-forsaken island, not in the Governor's mansion, but here, sailing around the world. No one to tell her what to do. No one to tell her what to be.

She could just be free.

* * *

Will and Alese had been up on deck, admiring the starry sky. They shared an uncomfortable silence between themselves. Alese had known that Will was keeping something from her in the months leading up to their wedding, but she hadn't made a fuss out of it. As long as it didn't affect them in the long run. But it had. _She_ had.

Alese turned her back towards her fiancé and slowly walked around the perimeter of the ship. She had a lot of things on her mind. Most of them pondering how Will and this Elizabeth woman were connected. She had seen the way the two had looked at each other, she was no ignorant fool. They had been involved sometime before she had come into the picture. And Will conveniently never mentioned this to her.

How serious had the two been? It had to be pretty intense if Will had not wanted to upset her with the news. The woman stopped as her Hispanic temperature flared. Had he been in love with this person? And if so, _why_ hadn't he told her? All Alese knew was that she needed to keep a close eye on the newcomer.

* * *

Will thought it better not to stop the raven-haired female from leaving. He knew her temper and the fact that she did not like to be disturbed while deep in thought. Also, he too was preoccupied with thoughts in his mind.

_Elizabeth_.

How had she survived? How did she hear of the wedding? Why couldn't Will's life ever be simple?

So many questions he needed to ask her, he didn't know where to begin. This whole thing was like a queer dream, things you are told in fables and stories, but never happen in reality.

He looked over the edge of the ship into the churning water beneath. He needed to talk to her. And soon, before things became worse. Before tensions on board started rising.

He heard footsteps behind him, so he turned to face what he undoubtedly thought was Alese, only to be surprised by Elizabeth instead.

The wind was blowing few strands of her sun-kissed golden-blonde hair into her face, but she didn't seem to care. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up for a moment at the sky. As she lowered them once more to look at him, he could see resentment, sorrow, and annoyance captured in her defined features.

He gave her a questioning look. "I thought everyone was asleep," he queried.

"We _were_, until Jack woke us up to ask who drank the last bloody bit of _rum_!" Elizabeth huffed in annoyance as she crossed her arms and leaned on the railing of the _Pearl_. Her shirt hung loose at her sides, as she had lost weight while she had been on that island.

Will let out an appreciative chuckle. "That's Jack for you."

Both looking out at the horizon, they sat in an uneasy silence. They both knew that the other needed to talk with them, the question was when it would happen, and more importantly, who would go first.

Will closed his eyes as he inhaled the salty sea air. Preparing to be the first one to speak, he hesitantly looked up at Elizabeth, who was gazing gloomily out at sea. He opened his mouth to speak. "Eliz-"

"You didn't tell her about me."

Will blinked confusedly at the interruption. "Excuse me?"

Elizabeth, holding back hot, steaming tears, turned to face the man she loved. "Alese. You never told her about me, did you?" Knowing he was about to interject, she shook her head sadly. "I could tell by the look on her face. She was confused. Why didn't you tell your-" she struggled to put out the word, "-fiance about me? About your past?"

Will looked down into her eyes. Oh how he'd missed her eyes. He could get lost in those eyes. Those eyes of light brown that he adored so much. He had to stop a smile from crawling to his lips as he thought of the first time he had looked into them. Then, with a guilty pain, he was jerked back to the present. He shouldn't be thinking of these thoughts, he was engaged to be married.

"Will?" Elizabeth asked, her brows knitting together in wonder. He looked as if he had been lost in his own thoughts.

Her voice brought him back out of his revere. Determined not to let his mind wander this time, he gazed intently into her eyes. He wanted her to know he was telling the truth; he wanted her to believe him.

"Elizabeth, when we found your longboat crashed into smithereens in those rocks, I honestly felt my heart rip in half. When Gibbs and I rowed to shore to see if you had made it, no one had seen you." He took a deep breath as he remembered that time.

"You have no idea what I went through in the weeks that followed. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't do anything but grieve for you, remember all the times that we had shared." He noticed that the tears she had so obviously been holding back had begun to trickle down her tanned face. He subconsciously reached out and wiped them away with his thumb.

She faintly smiled up at him. It was good to hear his voice again, to feel his touch once more.

"So don't you see? I couldn't tell Alese about you. Thinking about you caused the kind of pain I would never wish on my worst enemy. Loosing you was like losing a part of me.

"I love you, Elizabeth. I always have and I always will. But I love Alese too. She's my fiancé, soon to be my wife. I've made a choice. A difficult one, believe me, but a choice none the less. We were able to live as friends once, we shall be able to do it again, I'm sure," he told her, smiling a small smile. He prayed to the Lord he hadn't hurt her as he had hurt himself while making the decision. "Now, I must go see where Alese has gotten to, I think it's high time I tell her about my past."

Elizabeth quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks. As she watched him go, she couldn't help but call after him. "You made that choice when you believed me to be dead, Will! I know you. You take time to come to your decisions. But seeing as I am very much alive, I beg you to consider it into your calculations before you make a final choice."

Will was frozen to his spot as he heard her voice calling to him, pleading to him. He turned to face her, which nearly stopped his heart.

Even with her hair a tangled mess, her eyes slightly red, and tears staining her cheeks, she still looked magnificent. The moonlight bounced off of wet patches on her face, accentuating her beauty. He gave a sad smile. "You're right Elizabeth. I did come to that conclusion while believing you to be dead. But I also fell in love with Alese. I can't just push her aside because you appeared. I can't hurt her like that. I-"

"But you have no guilt in hurting me like that?" Elizabeth asked him, raising her voice.

"Yes, yes I do!" Will hurriedly explained. "It's just...Elizabeth..."

She stood there, her arms down at her sides, waiting for an answer. There was no trace of anger in her features, only hurt, betrayal, and sadness.

Will gave up trying to make sense of his thoughts. He heaved a great sigh. "Elizabeth, this is all happening too fast. I need to think things through. I'll be in my hammock if anyone needs me. But for both of our sakes, Elizabeth, don't need me."

And with that, he turned his back and walked away, disappearing below deck, leaving Elizabeth to lean on the rail and stare out at the ocean.


	6. Chapter 6

Ok. So this is a short-like chapter. Please don't hurt me. I don't think you'll be _too_ disappointed with it, but hey, I could be wrong. Why don't you let me know in a review, savvy? Oh! And I don't think I ever fully gave credit for the title. My friend **CHELSEA!!!!** helped me think of the title after reading the plot. She's just awesome like that. But yeah. Recital is on Saturday, the 23. I have dress rehersal tomorrow, so I wouldn't count on an update until possibly Sunday or later...for this anyway. I already have my Harry Potter fics completed, so if that's in your alley, check them out if you feel. So, please enjoy!!

**.::.Chapter 6.::.**

Elizabeth sat at her post, or rather, in the Crow's Nest, looking down at the ship, the crew, and the endless vision of water that surrounded them all. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, wishing to perhaps fall asleep, wake up, and realize she had never been gone. That her and Will were still betrothed, that she had possibly suffered a blow to the head, therefore thrusting her into a dream world.

As she heard angry footsteps below her on deck, however, she knew for certain that this was all real as real could be. Opening her eyes, she turned slightly to face behind her, her eyes tilted down to look at Will.

He had an exasperated look upon his face, as he watched his new love storm off. He then turned 'round and leaned over the railing, hands clenched together in frustration. Elizabeth knew he was frustrated, that much was obvious.

She remembered the night before; the night he had confessed he still loved her. After he had walked away, she has stayed on the deck, silently crying for her aching heart. After what seemed like hours, she had gone below deck, ready to call it a night. As she walked quietly, she noticed Will in his hammock, still awake, staring at the ceiling. He had looked at her while she passed, while she focused on anything but him.

As the wind caused her hair to dance, her eyes reluctantly tore away from Will to survey Alese, who had gone to the other end of the ship and was now being consoled by one, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Elizabeth laughed at the thought of Jack comforting someone other than himself. She sighed as she grabbed hold of a nearby rope and swung down onto the deck. Deciding against her better nature, she began walking softly over to where Will was currently deep in concentration.

"I told her. Everything," he sighed, not taking his eyes off of the choppy water. "And she's not mad about us. She's mad that I didn't tell her until now."

Elizabeth looked back at Alese, who seemed in much higher spirits now that she was in the company of Jack. Elizabeth felt her stomach twist in guilt. She wasn't particularly fond of the idea of Will engaged to another, and she had been praying for a way to make him realize that. But if this was the answer to her prayers, Alese committing adultery, then she didn't want them to be answered. She couldn't bear Will enduring that pain.

Unfortunately, Will had turned around and followed her gaze. He saw the look on Jack's face. He _knew_ that look on Jack's face. Desire.

The young man's features became stony as he turned his attention from the two to look back out at the water. Elizabeth, who had been watching him, knit her brows in confusion.

"That's it, then?" she asked. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Alese look over before returning her attention to Jack. That's when it occurred to her. Alese was trying to make Will jealous. She was aiming for revenge. _Well_, she thought,_ two can play at this game_.

"You're just going to let Jack have her? I'm sure she'll bloody get over your argument!"

Will looked at her strangely. "Why the sudden interest in me and Alese?"

"Because you deserve better than that, Will. You don't need someone who runs off every time they get upset or angry. You need someone who deserves _you_, for who you are. And you know what, you shouldn't settle for anything less," Elizabeth told him, raising her voice. "If she's what you think you deserve, you're dead wrong, Will Turner! Dead wrong!" And with that, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

The sensation was like a long lost friend. Elizabeth had not had her heart race at this pace since God only knows when. Months. Twelve months. Since she had last kissed Will with this kind of intensity, heat, and passion. Since she had last kissed him period. Her eyes closed in sheer joy and amazement at the feeling. The feeling that had been missing for so long, leaving a gaping hole in her heart.

Will, though taken by surprise, had found him self at once lost in her kiss. Her lips tasted of something Will had sorely missed in the last year. He gently took her head in his hands as he kissed her back. It had been something his subconscious had wanted to do every day since she had become lost to him, and something that his subconscious would want to do every day forever more until it was his time to go.

As they stood there, becoming light-headed with every passing second, Will asked himself why he had denied both of them this pure amazement for so long. And that's when everything came flooding back.

His heart panged in agony as he broke the connection between them. He looked down at her, his chest heaving to regain the oxygen to his body. She stood there, her arms at her side, panting, smiling sadly, for she knew what would be coming next.

"Elizabeth... I can't. We can't..." he trailed off as he searched for the correct words to express himself. He couldn't find them, no matter how many times he tried. There were no words to describe the type of elation he had felt when their lips had touched, when that jolt of lightning had shot through him. However, he did find a _reason_ for his pulling away. "Alese."

At the mention of her name, there was a noise behind him. Someone cleared their throat. Elizabeth pulled her eyes off of Will to see a very unhappy Alese behind him.

Her stomach knotted with guilt. She had just kissed another woman's beloved. Though, Elizabeth reasoned, she had brought it upon herself.

Alese was glaring daggers at the both of them, and to Elizabeth, it looked like she was ready to kill. Maybe fighting fire with fire hadn't been the smartest idea of hers. The Hispanic walked forward to where her face was inches from Elizabeth's, who wore a look of indifference on her face.

"You had your chance, Miss Swann," she whispered menacingly, "so you'll do well to back off, _comprende_?" She spun on her heel, her black hair whipping Elizabeth's face. "And _you_," she demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at Will, "_we_ need to talk. _Now_."

She took hold of Will's hand and forcefully drug him across the ship, much to his dismay and polite refusals.

Elizabeth sighed as she watched the two leave her behind. Had she done the right thing by kissing Will?

As if reading her mind, Jack strutted over the blonde, following her gaze to the disappearing couple. "You ought not have done that, luv," he advised her.

She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. "I know."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Author note at the end.

Will had just emerged onto deck after, no doubt, getting quite an earful from his fiancé. The whole scene between Jack, Alese, Will, and Elizabeth had happened only that morning, and no one had seen young Turner since his beloved dragged him away.

Elizabeth turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps, but quickly snapped her head back to the upcoming island as she saw Will approaching her. He leaned over the railing, as he did so often, and gazed into the crystal-clear water. Elizabeth was the first to speak.

"How did things go?" she asked with a twinge of guilt. The whole ordeal, she felt, had been her fault. Though she did feel guilty, she in no way regretted it. Alese deserved what she had coming to her, and Will...Will deserved better than Alese.

The former blacksmith let out a chuckle, which surprised Elizabeth. He raised his eyes to where he was now looking straight at the nearby island. "You know, I'm not quite sure. I would say better than I had expected." At Elizabeth's confused look, he let out another laugh. "She yelled at me in Spanish."

The Governor's daughter bit her lip and smiled, trying to suppress the laugh that wanted to escape.

"Oi! All of you! Listen up!" Jack called as the door to his cabin was thrown open and he walked out. "Turner, Rubizio, Pintel, Ragetti, and Swann! You lot will come to shore with me to resupply. We have one longboat, and this time, let's try to make it to the island, savvy?" he announced, looking, as all the other pirates did, at Elizabeth during the last bit.

As the other pirates answered with shouts of "Aye, Captain," Elizabeth huffed and crossed her arms. "It was one time!" She muttered indignantly. Never the less, though, she obediently followed the group of five into the longboat. Alese had her hand protectively intertwined with Will's. Elizabeth tried not to cast glances towards the two, so he looked to the water below, biting her lip as she tried not to laugh at how she imagined Will's face when he was being reprimanded by his fiancé. A strand of honey blonde hair fell in front of her eyes, so she quickly tucked it behind her ear while trying to think of something non-Will related.

As a success in sidetracking her mind, she grimly remembered the last time she had traveled in a longboat. That had been the reason her life crashed down around her. The reason _she_ wasn't the one with her fingers laced with Will's.

Elizabeth astonished herself sometimes. Even when she was thinking of something as grim as the past year, her thoughts ended up at Will.

Will.

She could feel his gaze upon her, secretive as though it may be. She raised her head solemnly to look at him, but was met with direct eye contact from Alese.

The Pirate Royalty stared at her with a mixture of jealousy, anger, hatred, and...fear? The first three emotions had obvious reasons to Elizabeth, but why was there fear? Was she _afraid_ that she would steal Will from her?

Elizabeth smirked inwardly. It was good she was afraid, because, in all reality, that is _exactly_ what she intended to do.

* * *

As soon as she set foot in the sand, Elizabeth was ready to get back in the boat and head for the _Pearl_. She had had enough island to last her a lifetime; of that she was positive. 

"Masters Pintel and Ragetti, guard the boat. The rest of you, with me," Jack ordered as he began walking away from the coast. The three pirates who were not to guard the boat rushed after the eccentric captain.

They hiked a bit through trees and tall grass, following Jack and not saying a word to one another. Elizabeth walked a few steps behind the Captain, not wanting to look forward and see the two in-love pirates walking hand in hand.

She thought of asking Jack where they were headed, but decided that it would be unwise to ruin the man's train of thought. Instead, she occupied herself with looking at the surrounding trees, which quickly proved to be uneventful. "How much farther?" she wondered aloud, causing the man with dreadlocks to speak for the first time since he had ordered two of the crew to stay with the dinghy.

"We're about almost there," he responded, looking to his map and then up at the land around him. He made a quick turn right, and Elizabeth could hear the trickling of a stream. As the four pirates stepped through the foliage barrier, they gazed upon the scene before them.

Their eyes were staring in awe at a clear blue pond, into which a small stream emptied. There were all sorts of different wild flowers surrounding the pool, most of which sported a bright colour. The grass was fairly tall, making walking to the edge of the water a trek.

Suspecting it wasn't poisoned, as there was wildlife all around, Elizabeth knelt down to inspect it just incase. Living on an island, she had come to discover ways to test for a clean water supply.

She scooped up a handful of the clear water and brought it to her lips. Once there was a small amount in her mouth, she was able to taste it. She swallowed, nodding at Jack to tell him that all was well.

As this scene was unfolding before her, Alese, whose arm was protectively looped through Will's, felt her fiancé tense up as the blonde woman brought the water to her lips. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him gazing intently at his first love.

That just would not do.

* * *

After the crew had resupplied, they began their trip back to the _Black Pearl_. 

Alese and Will walked hand in hand once more, leading the party to the shore. The Puerto Rican was aware of the looks Elizabeth was throwing at the back of her head, but that didn't matter. She had Will. _That's_ what mattered. She placed her head on Will's shoulder as they walked, grinning and closing her eyes. She could hear footsteps breaking twigs as Elizabeth marched around Will to get ahead.

She felt Will start to quicken his pace, as if wanting to catch up with her. Alese, not letting her annoyance show, tightened her already vice-like grip. "Don't worry about her, _Novio_, she's not for you to worry about. You only need to worry about one woman, and that's me," she stopped, taking his head in her hands so he looked her in the eyes. "Your fiancé."

Will stood there for a moment, torn between the two women he loved. Alese and Elizabeth. Before answering the former, he turned his head to look at the blonde who was now emerging onto the beach ahead of them.

"Alese, I love you. You know that I do. But I still care about Elizabeth, and I need to make sure she's alright. You need to understand this," he explained as he gazed apologetically into her ice blue eyes. He lowered his head to gently touch their lips together before running off after Elizabeth, breaking the connection between them.

Alese stood there in shock as she watched her love run off after another woman. Jack, however, had stopped next to her, following her gaze.

"You aren't going to let Miss Swann take the whelp as her own, are you?" he asked. "Not when the whelp _clearly_ belongs to you."

Alese shook her head, angrily muttering. As she stormed off, she said loud enough for Jack to hear, "La mujer debe estar loca en la cabeza."

Not understanding a word of what she was saying, Jack shrugged and followed her towards the shore.

* * *

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth, stop moving for a bloody second!" Will called as he ran after her. To his relief, she stopped and slowly turned on her spot to where she was now facing him. 

"What is it Will?" she asked him as he closed the distance between them. "Alese will be missing you," she added, looking at her feet.

"Alese will be fine; it's you I'm worried about," he responded as he stopped and looked at her. "What's got you so upset?" he questioned her.

The woman let out a bitter laugh. "Everything," she stated, tears stinging her eyes as all her frustration unfolded. "Everything and everyone, Will. Yes, when I came back, I expected things to have changed, but I hadn't expected to be replaced! Alese has taken my place in the crew, she's taken my old hammock, and she's taken you! I'm beginning to wonder if no one missed me at all, honestly. Maybe I should just disappear again, and this time, never come back!"

Will stepped closer to her, bending down a bit so that he was at eye level with the female pirate. "I told you, I never replaced you, Elizabeth," he said, lowering his voice in fear of being heard by the other approaching female pirate. "Just because she has taken your place in the crew does not mean she has taken you place in my heart."

With that last line, few tears began to trickle down the female's face as she gave Will a sad smile. The smile vanished as Alese came up beside the man before her, staring coldly at the tearing woman.

"Come, _mi amor_," she spoke to Will, her eyes smiling viciously at Elizabeth as she voiced her sentence, "we still must plan a new date for our _wedding_," she emphasized the last word, practically spitting it on Will's first love.

Will looked between the two women, opening his mouth to say something. But, as she often did, Elizabeth cut him off.

"No Will, it's fine. Alese just feels _threatened_, perhaps?" she spoke dangerously as she changed her line of vision from Will to his fiancé.

"Usted debe ser el un sentimiento el derecho amenazado acerca de ahora," the raven-haired beauty spat before unsheathing her sword and brandishing it at the other female.

Elizabeth, in shock but not missing a beat, pulled her sword from its spot on her person. She held her ground, waiting on her opponent to make the first move. That didn't take too long.

The Puerto Rican lunged at Elizabeth, who dove onto the sand and rolled out of reach. Standing up, she made an attack on the other pirate, the clash of their blades swallowed by the roar of the sea.

Jack ran up next to an astonished Will, both men watching the squabble between the others. As they watched the girls' attacks on one another, the Captain let out a low whistle. "You know mate, if they don't end up killing each other, which is a high probability, I'll be glad to take one of them off your hands." After a long pause of silence, he looked over to find Will giving him a deadly look. "Or not, then," he concluded, turning and heading towards the small boat.

After watching the man run off, Will focused his attention back at the two women fighting over him. Jack was right. Both the women were fierce fighters, liable to kill to get what they wanted. He needed to put a stop to the madness.

"Girls!" he shouted as he ran to the fight. As they ignored them, he tried again, "Ladies!"

Nothing.

"Women!"

More fighting.

"Members of the female species!"

Will looked around for the source of the voice. Jack Sparrow was once again standing next to him, watching the fight that continued. Having an idea, Will grabbed the Captain's pistol, holding it above his head and releasing a shot. This got the two arguing pirates' attention.

"Look at the both of you!" Will shouted at the two women, who had since sheathed their swords. "Save the sword fighting for battle, not some petty argument! You're acting like, well, like-"

"Pirates?" Jack intervened.

"Well, yes," Will reasoned, realizing that his point suddenly seemed irrelevant, seeing as how they _were_, in fact, pirates. Breaking out of his thoughts, Will returned his focus to the two women. "I told you both that I would think about where my heart truly belongs, and I'm still thinking. But since you two aren't happy with the way things currently are, I propose a new arrangement.

"Alese, you and I are no longer engaged. I feel that this might help in my decision between the two of you. Nothing you can say or do will change my mind, so don't try," he added at her outraged face.

"Well _I_ propose we get a move on to the _Pearl_ before we're stranded on this island for a day or so," Jack interjected.

Elizabeth was the first one to reach the longboat that would take them to the _Black Pearl_.

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! I am SO sorry for the long update! Please forgive me! Friday I had Dress Rehersal, and Saturday I had a Birthday Party and my recital, then a friend spent the night, then the next day we went to the mall, saw AWE (my 7th time), then I spent the night at _her_ house, then monday, I spent all day over there, came home, was obsessed with MySpace layouts. Tuesday I had a severe Emo-streak that I was shaking the remnants of on Wednesday (It is now Thursday, 12:25 in the morning as I am writing this). But! It is, I think, my longest chapter! And since I know lots of people don't speak Spanish (I don't!), here are the English translations of the two phrases Alese says: 

"La mujer debe estar loca en la cabeza."- The woman must be crazy in the head.

"Usted debe ser el un sentimiento el derecho amenazado acerca de ahora."- You should be the one feeling threatened right about now.

I hope these are right, I used for it. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me through this! I'm going to my friend's beach house this weekend, and then summer school starts up again, so I'll try my hardest to write! Please review!!!!!


	8. Chapter 8

First of all, I am **SO SO SO SO SO SORRY!** for the eternal lack in updating! I've been at friends' houses, they've been over here, I've been to the movies, seen AWE 9 times (YUS), been exploring livejournal, reading, and watching movies at home. I know this is no excuse, and I hope you aren't too angry with me! I have decided that this story will be 10 chapters long. I have a dying attention span, and for that, I am so sorry. However, one good thing came of this, and that was the fact that one night while I was...procrastinating...I wrote a therapy session with Jack, Elizabeth, Will, Alese, and myself. It is located in my livejournal, the link to which is in my profile. If you think it would be amusing if I posted it on drop me a review, and I shall do. Also, as much as I hate to say it, this may as well be the last update until after I'm done reading _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_ one or two times. I will try my hardest to write this upcoming week, but my mind has been wandering, so I'm sorry in advanced. Please don't let it keep you from reviewing, though!

**.::.Chapter 8.::.**

"_We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves,  
Drink up, me hearties, yo ho.  
We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs,  
Drink up, me hearties, yo ho._

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.   
We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads,  
Drink up, me hearties, yo ho.  
Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads,   
Drink up, me hearties, yo ho."

Elizabeth sat in the Crow's Nest, singing softly to herself as not to wake the sleeping crew below deck. Cotton was at the helm on this cloudy night, so the blonde had no worries of speaking to the often obnoxious captain. She sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying the peace and serenity.

Today had been an eventful day, what with sword fights, broken engagements, and all. What Elizabeth really needed to do at the moment was rest.

"Elizabeth?" a male's voice called from down below.

Elizabeth's sat higher than she had been a mere second ago. Her heart began beating in her chest rapidly at the sound of his saying her name. She looked over the railing of her current spot. "Up here."

Will looked up at the direction of Elizabeth's voice, finding her to be looking inquisitively over the railing of the Crow's Nest. Though the night was cloudy, there were few occasional patches of moonlight passing through the clouds at their own leisurely pace. One of the aforementioned patches was currently strolling along, casting a most radiant glow on the female pirate. Will found it hard to remember his reason for looking about the ship in search of the glowing angel before his eyes.

"Will?" She asked cautiously.

"Oh!" he said, breaking out of his stare of admiration. "Right. Do you think you could come down? There's something I want to tell you."

Elizabeth grabbed the same rope she had days before and landed on deck in front of her love. She stood there, forcing back a smile at what she presumed he would tell her.

This was it. He was going to tell her that he loved her, that Alese was a mistake, all feelings for her were an illusion, a facade caused by the sorrow he felt when she disappeared. "Yes, Will?"

"I've been thinking, and I came to a realization. I've already told Alese..."

"Go on," Elizabeth encouraged, trying to hide her excitement.

"I think it would be best if we did not speak to each other while I deliberate between the two of you," he spat, not making eye contact.

Why did it hurt worse telling Elizabeth this than it had Alese?

"What?" Elizabeth asked in shock. He was kidding, right? This wasn't supposed to happen! He was supposed to realize that he loved her!

"Elizabeth, can you please just do this? It will cause less confusion while I sort things out. It will just be better if the two of you have no current influence on my decision. But know, Elizabeth, doing this wasn't easy."

"Doing what, Will, breaking your engagement with Alese?" she retorted, a bit of bitterness in her voice. She could not help it; she and Will were supposed to be married by now!

"Deciding we shouldn't speak."

As Elizabeth looked up from idly picking at her shirt, she looked into the man's eyes, losing herself in their emotion. He didn't specify which of the females he had been referring to, but by the look in those dark eyes, she knew, as well as he did, he meant her. Elizabeth.

They remained gazing softly into each other's souls before Will regrettably broke the connection by muttering a quick good-bye and walking away, leaving Elizabeth standing there, saddened. Only when she walked over to the railing of the ship, did she find comfort in his words.

"It wasn't easy," she muttered to herself, smiling as she looked into the faraway graces of the moon. This led to Elizabeth getting lost in her thoughts of Will's words to her, only to be pulled to reality by the pair of tanned hands that grabbed her shoulders, quickly thrusting her overboard and into the sea below.

The blonde was submerged in the salty water, sputtering and screaming for help every time she bobbed to the surface. Hitting her leg hard on the ship's railing, she found staying afloat very difficult. Up on deck, she could hear the shuffling of footsteps as well as Cotton's parrot screeching 'Man Overboard'.

As she was once more enveloped in water, she felt something on her shoulder. Panicking at first, she came to the realization that it was a rope someone had thrown her. Grabbing it with thankfulness, she used her strength to pull her body up over the small waves.

The crew heaved the line to get Elizabeth into their reach. The female, her arms growing tired and her feet dangling above the water, was glad when the crew gave the rope a final pull, and a hand was extended to her to pull her on deck. She placed her small, calloused hand into the large, familiar one as she pushed with the left hand to return to the wooden deck.

She stood up, looking into the eyes of the man who still possessed her hand for a split second before closing them in pain. Inhaling deeply through her nostrils, she opened her light brown spheres and looked down to her right leg.

Her pants had a tear in them, no doubt caught on a stray sliver of wood, she had a slight bleeding gash, and a large area that was promised to be bruised later on. She sighed in relief; it had not nearly been as bad as it had been in her mind.

Most of the rest of the crew had headed back to their hammocks, having done their duty by saving a crew mate. Elizabeth, realizing Will still held possession of her hand, looked up at him.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his brows knitting together in concern.

"I'm fine," Elizabeth replied, taking her hand from his, immediately feeling cold at the absence of his touch. "I thought we weren't supposed to talk," she stated, half-joking, half-serious.

Will just looked at her with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Elizabeth, I heard you screaming, and I thought you would die. Excuse me for breaking the rules because I care about you." And with that, he walked away.

Elizabeth lowered her eyes. Nice going. That was just splendid.

"I do hope you're all right, Elizabeth," a woman's voice spoke from behind her. As she turned, she saw Alese striding towards her, her black hair whipping her face. "It would be such a shame if something happened to you."

"Yes, it would. What ever would Will do then?" At a sour look from the Puerto Rican, Elizabeth smirked. "As long as I stay away from you, I'm sure no more misfortunes will come my way. Good-night." And turning on her heel, the blonde walked down below deck to her hammock.


	9. Chapter 9

Oh my God! I am SOOOOO sorry for the long wait! I got writers block, was depressed by the Deathly Hallows release, and just couldn't bring myself to write. Not to mention my computer had a virus, so I couldn't use it for about a week and a half. I promise I will not take this long again, but chances are, there is only one more chapter left! You guys have been amazing throughout this story, and I can't thank you enough! Here's the penultimate chapter in our story! Sorry for the shortness, and the next one will PROBABLY be long! I love you guys, and please review:)

**.::.Chapter 9.::.**

The pitter-patter of rain could be heard through the swollen wooden planks that made up the ship. The sleeping men of the crew were all snoring loudly, and not in unison. Will's hammock swayed slightly as the ship rocked gently with the waves.

His brown eyes stared at the ceiling above him, unseeing and deep in concentration. Elizabeth's falling overboard had really shaken him. She had just come back into his life, he didn't think he could go through losing her again.

Will would not deny that he still loved the female pirate. And he knew he always _would_ love her. She had been his first love, and nothing could change that fact, not even Alese.

_Alese_. He knew he had strong feelings for her, but when he thought about what love was, what he felt for Elizabeth, he wondered if he was making the wrong decision should he choose to marry her.

Yes, she was beautiful, and yes, they had a lot of things in common, but they didn't have the kind of bond he and Elizabeth had. And for some reason, he never thought they would.

As the young man shifted in his hammock, he began to compare the two girls. Not their looks, for he knew that's not what mattered, but their personalities. He soon realized that the two girls only had three things in common: That they were from royal families; that they were pirates; and that they loved him.

Other than that, the two girls couldn't be more opposite in character. Elizabeth, though sometimes headstrong and stubborn, was non-judgmental and understanding, whereas Alese was quick to judge others and could be hot-tempered.

Elizabeth, who was always told what to do, where to go, and what to wear, had yearned for freedom. After fighting for what she wanted, she had received it, and was grateful. Alese, who had not been raised like Elizabeth, didn't know how lucky she was to be able to do whatever she wanted, whenever she pleased, and took this gift for granted.

Will could think of a list of ways the two ladies were different, one of them being Alese's tendency to become extremely jealous. Anytime he talked to a woman, the Hispanic would get a look on her face, clearly saying she wasn't happy.

Will had a slight feeling he knew what conclusion his thoughts would lead him to, and he felt a tad guilty for leading the other one on. He had a slight gnawing worry, however, if he was making the right decision.

A large difference from the soft sounds of the rain, the once-blacksmith heard the rythmic sound of footsteps walking between the rows of hammocks. Continuing to stare at the ceiling, he waited for the person to speak.

"'Lizabeth," the man whispered loudly as he, Will presumed, nudged the woman. He heard the blonde pirate groan before replying sleepily.

"Jack, haven't I deserved some rest?" she asked in a furious whisper, annoyed at the captain for waking her. "Some of us actually had a rough day, where _you_, on the other hand, just sat in your cabin drinking rum, no doubt." Will smiled up at the wooden boards. Even when half-asleep, Elizabeth was as sharp as a needle.

There was a moment of silence in where he could just imagine Jack's face, before the pirate responded. "Choosing not to dignify your last comment with a response, I've come because I have, in fact, heard what misfortune took place up on deck today."

"Oh, and you've come to offer your apologies for not being there with the rest of the crew? Why that's very kind of you, now please leave me to sleep."

"I don't recall ever saying that, lass. I've come to tell ye to be more careful around the railings. We don't need you dying for real."

"Thank you ever so much for your warning Jack, but I will have you know," Elizabeth shot back at him, her voice dangerously low, "that I was _pushed_ over the ship's edge tonight."

"Pushed?" Jack asked skeptically.

"Yes. I distinctly felt two hands on my shoulders, throwing me overboard. So I suggest giving your warning to someone else, like Miss Rubizio, before something of the same misfortune happens to her." Elizabeth hinted.

"Well that's all fine and dandy Lizzie dearest, but you have no proof as to who it was-"

"Proof? Jack, the woman has got it out for me! She hates me! She's _threatened_ by me! She's afraid that Will will fall back in love with me, and she's determined to not have that happen! What more proof do you need?" she whispered loudly, her voice almost pleading.

"G'night 'Lizabeth," Jack cheerfully called over his shoulder.

"She pushed me over Jack!" she called after him. "No matter how much you want that alliance, you'll have to face the truth: She will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and that includes murder. Just wait until you stand in her way, Jack!" After gaining no response, she let out a loud sigh before Will heard her head hit the pillow in anger.

Will felt cold. Could Alese really do something of the sort? Would she really go that far?

With that last conversation playing in his head, Will drifted off to sleep, his mind made up.


	10. Chapter 10

So. Here it is. The _Last Chapter_ of **The Power of a Pirates Love**. What started as a side story as I wrote another one has turned into this completed, 10-chapter hit (by my standards, hehe). I just want to thank you all **SO MUCH** for all the reviews and support you have given me through all of this. I also want to thank my friend Ashley, who made sure the chapter had no spelling or grammar errors, seeing as I wrote it all at 12 at night. Please review one last time at the end of the chapter, for my sake. : ) Thanks again, and here it is, the last installment in The Power of a Pirates Love.

**.::.Chapter 10.::.**

The night's isolated storm had dimmed to a slight, continuous drizzle by the next day. Will, along with the rest of the crew, was up on deck, getting soaked to the bone in the steady precipitation. As he performed his duties, his eyes searched the mass of pirates for the particular woman he was looking for. He did this for what neared two hours before he spotted the blonde walking in his direction, a bucket and rag in her hands.

"Elizabeth!" Will called to her happily, attracting the attention of her caramel brown eyes. She walked over, her features ever-so-slightly showing her depression.

"What do you want, Will? Jack has me," she sighed, "_swabbing the deck_ since I can't 'keep my balance very well on the ship'." She glared over at where Alese and the captain were in conversation. She was furious with herself and with the two pirates currently conversing. She was furious that she had been reduced to swabbing the deck. Her spirit had been diminished in less than twelve hours. She looked back to Will, who wore a sympathetic and understanding expression. He hadn't yet said a word. "All right then. I'm going to go ahead and get to work. The quicker I do this, the quicker I regain my dignity."

Will watched as she continued walking past him, which caused him to turn as his eyes continued to follow her. As his mind woke from a dazed state at the realization what he was about to do, he opened his mouth to call to her. "I choose you!"

He watched as the governor's daughter stopped dead in her tracks, dropping the rag and pail of water, standing there for what felt like minutes as life around them seemed to travel in slow motion. At that moment, he had eyes for Elizabeth, and only Elizabeth. She slowly turned around, a smile inching across her face.

Her eyes began to shine like they had so long ago; before the accident, before she had learned of Alese. They shone like they had when she had first met Will, on her journey from England to Jamaica, they shone as they had when Will had first told her he loved her, when he had proposed, when she had absolutely no doubt that he loved her.

As she took in his appearance, she noticed the relieved and happy smile that was plastered on his loving features. His eyes were twinkling with the joy she had longed to see again. He meant it. This was the end of everything he had with Alese. This was her second chance.

Not caring that she should have been swabbing the deck at the moment, not caring that the deck was wet, and she could easily slip, she ran at Will, knowing that if she _did_ slip, he'd catch her. He'd always catch her. Before she knew it, she found her arms around his neck, her eyes staring up into his. Everything was settled. Her life could go on as she had intended. Maybe there were happy endings after all.

"You can _not _be serious," a voice came from somewhere behind Elizabeth. Alese's voice made her blood run cold. This had meant Will had told her his decision first, which despite the unexpected Puerto Rican, filled her veins with and unexplained happiness.

Elizabeth slowly dropped her arms and took her old spot next to Will, unconsciously smiling. Upon seeing the enraged female's face, she looked up to Will. _He _should be the one to tell her. As much as she'd like to rub it in his ex-fiancé's face, she knew how dangerous the wrath of a jealous woman could be.

"Actually, Alese," Will spoke calmly, a hint of coldness in his tone, "I am. I'm sorry, Alese, really, I am. But I've been thinking, and I don't really believe that we-" he motioned between him and the raven-haired woman, "-are right for each other. I'm sure you'll find that one person who you would do anything for, and I wish you the best of luck in finding that man."

Elizabeth looked up at the man she loved. She had heard the coldness in his voice, and she could not fathom why it was there. Had Alese pulled something last night, and she didn't know about it? Did the other woman even notice the iciness? By the Englishwoman's observations, it seemed she had.

Eyes of cold blue narrowed in suspicion as she looked at the couple. Inclining her head ever so slightly, Alese spoke. "What has she claimed I've done?" she asked, placing her hands on her slender hips.

Both Will and Elizabeth looked at each other, puzzled.

Alese elaborated on her question. "Did she tell you that I pushed her overboard?" she asked venomously. "Because that is a false accusation, if I had ever heard one."

"False? You know as well as I do that it was because of _your_ doing that I ended up overboard! _Yours_ were the hands that grabbed my shoulders and pushed me forward!" Elizabeth cried out in rage.

"You're forgetting, Miss Swann," Alese shot back through clenched teeth, "that _I_ am not the only crew member on this ship other than yourself."

"And _you're_ forgetting, Miss Rubizio, that _I_ am no simpleton. The hands that took hold of my shoulders that night were those of a woman. I am certain of it. And as it seems that you and I are the only women on this ship, the evidence falls upon you."

Will, who had been standing awkwardly out of the conversation of the two girls, decided at that moment to step in. "Elizabeth did not tell me of this action, I had told her, as well as you, not to speak to me until I had reached my decision. I _did_, however, hear it mentioned last night to someone who I believe is against reuniting Elizabeth and me just as much as you are."

Elizabeth looked up at him in shock. "You heard that?"

"Every word," he smiled down at her.

"She was obviously lying," Alese shot back at them.

"You don't know her as I do," Will defended. "I heard the tone in her voice, she was most certainly telling the truth." He smiled down at his future, who smiled gratefully back at him.

"Sorry to interrupt," Alese spat, "but we seem to have a problem that we strayed from." The in-love pirates looked at her curiously as she continued. "You've said that you've chosen Elizabeth, but we have the small problem: I _always_ get what I want. Even if I have to result to extreme measures," she stated, unsheathing her sword.

Elizabeth, her light brown eyes wide in shock and anger, reached for her sword, only to find that she had foolishly left it below deck. Will, seeing this dilemma and also spying Alese getting ready to lunge at her opponent, threw himself between the two women, shielding his first love from the attack. Both pairs of brown eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of the disaster that was to come.

Alese, who had no time to stop once she lunged, felt her heart stop in horror as Will jumped in front of her target. This was not happening. If she killed Will... she shuddered at the thought, but could not stop her attack.

Right as the sword was about to make contact, the three pirates heard a metal clang. With this noise, Will and Elizabeth opened their eyes curiously what had stopped the blade from piercing into the former.

To their amazement, there stood none other than Captain Jack Sparrow, the sun's rays reflecting off of the crossed blades and showering him in a golden light. His kohl-lined eyes were looking suspiciously at Alese.

"You weren't attempting to run your blade through one of my crew, by any chance, were you?" he asked, the small speck of anger in his eyes ruining his questioning and careless tone.

"I-"

"Because if you _were_," Jack cut her off, "I would have to throw you in the brig and make you leave the ship the next time we make port. And from what I saw, it sure did look like you were attacking Miss Swann, is that what ye were doing?" he asked.

"No! Of course not!" She responded, baffled.

"Yes it was!" Both Will and Elizabeth shouted back at her.

"Ah! Two against one it seems. Off to the brig with ye! Masters Pintel and Ragetti!" he called gleefully as the two pirates came shuffling towards them. "Please escort Miss Rubizio to the brig."

"Aye, Cap'n," they responded in unison. And so, taking hold of her by her arms, they turned and led her away as she ranted in Spanish at the top of her lungs.

Elizabeth looked towards Jack curiously. "I thought you were on her side?" she asked cautiously.

"Aye, I was, until I grudgingly realized that in this case, friendship was more important than alliances. Plus, nasty temper she's got, Alese. But back to the main point: don't expect it to happen again," his words sharpened at the third sentence. "Now, I believe I am being called," he announced before briskly walking away.

Will and Elizabeth smiled at each other. No one had been calling the eccentric captain. He had just wanted to rush out of there before saying anything else too compassionate-like.

"She's gone," Elizabeth whispered with a smile. Alese, her endless sea of torment since she had returned, was gone. She would never bother them again.

"Yes. And you've returned," he smiled softly.

"I love you, Will," the pirate breathed as their heads inched closer together.

"I love you too, Elizabeth," the blacksmith-turned pirate said in a voice that matched hers in softness.

And with those few words exchanged between them, they closed the remaining distance between their lips, both becoming lost in each other.

**.::.Fin.::.**


End file.
